Airstaff: Tom Giffey

Monday morning co-host
 
 
Tom Giffey is the editorial page editor of the Leader-Telegram, and writes frequently about politics -- from the county courthouse to the White House -- and anything else that strikes his fancy or raises his ire. He also blogs and tweets under the Internet nickname GiffsRiffs, and writes newspapers columns, the latter having won him awards from the Wisconsin Newspaper Association and the Milwaukee Press Club. He joined the "NewsTalk 790 Today" team in August 2010.

A native of Dodgeville in southwestern Wisconsin, Tom graduated in 1999 from UW-Madison with a double major in journalism and political science, then stumbled into a job at the Leader-Telegram. There, he worked in the Chippewa Falls News Bureau and as political reporter and business editor before taking his current job, which began in 2006.

In addition to his day jobs, Tom is president of the Western Wisconsin Press Club and a board member for Literacy Volunteers Chippewa Valley and the Western Wisconsin Chapter of the American Red Cross. He previously served as president of the Friends of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library.

Links:
Blog: www.leadertelegram.com/blogs/tom_giffey/
Twitter: www.twitter.com/GiffsRiffs
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GiffsRiffs

Radio Riffs

Democrats wish they could clone Feingold
Posted 6/21/2011 12:06:00 PM

I haven't checked the state Democratic Party platform to be sure, but I suspect there is a paragraph in there that declares that the party supports human cloning.

Specifically, the cloning of former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold.

OK, cloning may go a little far, but it's clear from a straw poll of activists at the party's state convention earlier this month in Milwaukee that Democrats wish they had two Feingolds to run for office.

According to the WisPolitics.com poll -- which, while unscientific, is nonetheless interesting -- the Dem faithful overwhelmingly want Feingold to run for U.S. Senate next year to help the party retain the seat being vacated by the retiring Herb Kohl. They also want Feingold to be their next candidate for governor -- a challenge that could come as early as next year if plans to launch a recall bid against first-term Republican Gov. Scott Walker reach ...


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Who will replace Herb Kohl?
Posted 5/16/2011 10:29:00 AM

The announcement Friday by U.S. Sen Herb Kohl that he won't seek a fifth term shook up an already rocking Wisconsin political scene.

In an <a href=http://www.leadertelegram.com/opinions/editorials/article_f6c52e44-3acc-5a36-9405-9d54d5c8b222.html">editorial for Monday's Leader-Telegram</a>, I wrote about the impact Kohl has had during his 22 years in office as well as his political style. While Kohl has certainly been a reliable Democratic vote, he hasn't been a partisan firebrand - and now the door is open for one. Considering there hasn't been an open U.S. Senate seat in the state since 1988, we can expect a profusion of candidates. Here's a rundown of the Democrats and Republicans who may vie for the seat Kohl holds, as well as my 2 cents worth of commentary on their chances. (And check out the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's article on the same subject.)

Democrats

Russ Feingold, the three-term U.S. senator who narrowly lost a re-election bid last fall ...


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Who will replace Herb Kohl?
Posted 5/16/2011 10:28:00 AM

The announcement Friday by U.S. Sen Herb Kohl that he won't seek a fifth term shook up an already rocking Wisconsin political scene.

In an editorial for Monday's Leader-Telegram, I wrote about the impact Kohl has had during his 22 years in office as well as his political style. While Kohl has certainly been a reliable Democratic vote, he hasn't been a partisan firebrand - and now the door is open for one. Considering there hasn't been an open U.S. Senate seat in the state since 1988, we can expect a profusion of candidates. Here's a rundown of the Democrats and Republicans who may vie for the seat Kohl holds, as well as my 2 cents worth of commentary on their chances. (And check out the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's article on the same subject.)

Democrats

Russ Feingold, the three-term U.S. senator who narrowly lost a re-election bid last fall to ...


[ Read full post ]

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Today's Poll:
It looks like Terry Moulton and Kristen Dexter will square off in the recall election.They've both been involved in TIGHT races--how close do you think this one will be?
50 votes- Dexter
50 votes-Moulton
150 votes- Dexter
150 Votes- Moulton
Landslide-Dexter
Landslide- Moulton
Too close to call
Voting is restricted to one vote every 1 hour(s) .